Jun 28, 2012 - The legislature's failure this summer to give a tuition break to veterans at North Carolina's colleges and universities may result in a federal lawsuit, the leader of a student veterans organization said Wednesday.
"Of course, that's not what we want to do," said Jason Thigpen, president of the Wilmington-based N.C. Student Veterans Advocacy Group. But the state is leaving no choice for veterans facing large tuition bills, he said.
Mark Waple, a lawyer who specializes in military-related litigation, has been working with Thigpen's organization.
"It's really inexcusable," Thigpen said. Lawmakers say they support veterans, he said, but "what really defines our character and who we are is not just what we talk about doing, but what we do."
Veterans using GI Bill scholarships ran into thousands of dollars in unexpected tuition bills last fall when federal policy changed on how the scholarships are paid, Thigpen said.
The scholarship used to cover the more expensive out-of-state tuition price. Now, it covers in-state tuition. Veterans who have lived in North Carolina for years but maintained out-of-state residency while they were in the military here suddenly had to pay the difference. read more>>>
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